McHENRY

Barnabas (Bernard) McHenry came with wife Fannie from New Garden in Chester Co Pa around 1738. They appear to have been a Quaker family, passing through Lancaster, but finding title's in doubt, moving on down to the Lost River. George Washington surveyed Barnabas's farm in 1749. Before this, however, Barnabas and James Mulrey adopted James Baker, child of man slain in their common militia (see records of Orange County). Samuel McHenry was chain carrier when a piece of land was set off for James Baker next to the McHenry's. This land was apparently purchased from Lord Fairfax, as it was not part of the large suit which followed later regarding land purchased by Van Sant which became disputed. Next to Barnabas, who also died in 1749 was land owned by the Nicholas family and also land owned jointly by Valentine Sevier (of Point Pleasant) and Margaret Gibson. William John Samuel James Barnabas Jr. and females survived the death of Barnabas. It appears Barnabas Jr. married Margaret Gibson, but Barnabas Jr. was killed in 1752 at Great Meadows, near Pittsburgh, under Captain George Washington. There were two captains. The first lost only two men, but Washington lost about two hundred. In the truce, it was agreed the Indians would surrender their weapons to the French, but instead they followed the Virginia boys on the way home, killing them as they went. Baranbas's fort, eleven by eleven is said by Rev. Elswick of Albany NY (his ancestors lived along Lost River) to be the oldest standing masonry structure built by British subjects, west of the Blue Ridge. Samuel McHenry sold it to Stephen Ruddell, so it is now known as Fort Ruddell, near Baker W Va. Barnabas's farm was used as the dividing line between Frederick and Augusta in 1744. Later the land was in Rockingham with Barnabas the first titled land owner in Brock's Gap, Hampshire County, Hardy County, and State of Franklin. Margaret Gibson McHenry later married James Gamble about 1865 and brought James (Jamie) to live with them in Rockbridge. Jamie was VERY primitive, wearing fur clothing. Still, he walked six miles to Hall's meeting house barefoot every week and led parties seeking Indian raiders barefoot in the snow. When he died, Molly poured salt in his mouth and nearly a week later held a wake, but the sled carrying the body dumped it in the stream and a search party had to go back and find it. Some of the McHenry's are buried in the old Chester Deacon farm. After James Gamble moved into Lexington, Jamie was in possession of the Gamble farm by 1815. Samuel McHenry lived many years and is listed in Chalkley's as an "old settler" still alive in the early 1800's. Jamie McHenry, who lived at the north end of House Mountain, married Molly. He died in 1790 (see Ruley's cemetery book), she a little later. Jamie had sons James and John Sr. and probably Edward. A daughter of James married one of the Ruley's. John Sr. married unknown and then later, the widow of George Wilson, whose maiden name was Wallace. John Sr. had many children including John Jr., who lived on Broad Creek. John Jr. married Margaret Keebler Manford Lawrence Savillle. By 1830 John Jr. was Ruling elder of Falling Spring Church. His son, James McHenry b 1818 moved to Xenia, Greene, Ohio to join his uncle George Saville. There he went into the lumber business with two Rockbridgers, James McDowell (cousin of James McDowell who was Secy of War to Lincoln) and Adam Bell, both of them relatives. McHenry and McDowell lumber invented dimensional lumber and became wealthy. When James first wife, Nancy Ginn of Xenia, died, he returned to Rockbridge and married Nancy Jane Miller, d/o Henry Miller and they returned to Xenia. Younger brother Nathan moved to Scotland Co Mo, In the military records the McHenry's are described as tall, about six feet, with blue eyes where indicated. They pronounced their name "McHendry" using the Irish brogue, or sometimes McKenry. They were direct descendants of the Ramsey’s, the Wachob’s, Howell’s, Montgomery's, Crawford’s, Gays and other Rockbridge families. By Kenneth McHenry mchenry_mchenry@yahoo.com . .